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Ortiz takes exception to Valentine's comments

Ortiz takes exception to Valentine's comments

8/24/12: David Ortiz gets a standing ovation from the Fenway faithful in his first at-bat since returning from the disabled list

By Ian Browne
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MLB.com |

BOSTON -- Fresh off signing his new two-year deal with the Red Sox, David Ortiz broke his silence on the recent controversy involving his former manager Bobby Valentine.

Ortiz said he was not amused that Valentine told Bob Costas of NBC Sports that the slugger opted to shut it down for the season once the Red Sox traded Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford to the Dodgers.

The assertion Valentine made was that the Red Sox were falling out of contention and Ortiz didn't feel it was worth trying to rush back from a right Achilles injury that wound up limiting him to just one game after July 20.

"It's something that made me feel uncomfortable," Ortiz said. "Being here for the last 10 years, you guys know pretty much how I go about my business. The most important thing is that you guys are face to face with us every day and you guys already know how important it is to me to be on the field and represent this organization the way I do, so I don't really need to add any more things to it.

"I think we are right now celebrating a good thing -- me being back in the organization for the next couple of years. To be honest with you guys, we won't be talking about what we're talking about right now if things would have been the way our ex-manager said."

While at the podium during his Fenway Park press conference, Ortiz took the high road with his response to Valentine.

Earlier in the day, in an interview with ESPNDeportes.com, Ortiz wasn't so kind.

"After he went on national TV to say what he said, [Valentine] sent me a text message trying to tell me that it was the media trying to change things," Ortiz said. "I did not respond to the message and I said to myself, 'This guy must have some mental issues or needs medicine or something.' I said, 'I am dealing with someone crazy and I am not going to drive myself crazy, so it is better if I leave it alone.'"

Ortiz made it clear he would never "shut it down" unilaterally, no matter where things stood for the Red Sox in the pennant race.

"Stopping me [from playing] was the decision of the doctors, management, the manager and me," Ortiz told ESPNDeportes.com. "The team doctor recommended that I stop playing to not make the situation worse for the tendon. As a player, the game runs through my veins."

Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brownie Points, and follow him on Twitter @IanMBrowne. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.